Marker



March 10, 1936. E HQMMEL 7 2,033,711

MARKER Filed Aug. 22, 1934 I INVENTOR may Maw/4% 4:

Patented Mar; 10, 1936 PATENT- orrice MARKER Ernest M. Hommel, Pittsburgh, Pa.

"Application August 22,

4 Claims.-

The invention relates to markers, that is, to

those'devices which are" installed along highways, to warn tramc that a curve or other ele- .ment of danger is in or adjacent the roadway. In recent years the practice has been to embody small glass knobs so-called reflector-buttonswithin the effective faces of such markers.

These knobs are so constituted as to reflect light; 'they shine brightly when they are struck by the head-light'rays of advancing motor cars, and for this reason render" the markers particularly effective at night. v

It has been --found that the markers or road signs embodying such reflector-buttons are relatively expensive, that is, as they have been cons'tructed and'insta'lled hitherto; the item of cost has prevented adequate utilization of the marken er the best interests of the public. My inventii nlies inthe provision of an inexpensive ff type of reflector-button marker-a marker which may readily be nailed or otherwise secured to a road-post, a tree, a pole, or other fixture located adjacent 'a hi hway. 1

F *In the accompanying drawing, Fig. I is a view bodying my invention. Figs. 11 and III are views on larger scale, showing the marker as it appears in cross section, on the planes II-II and III-III of Fig. I, respectively. Fig. IV is a frag- .mentary view, showing to larger scale a modification in the marker structure, and Fig. V is a sectional view of the same, taken on the plane V--V of FighIV. Figs. VI and VII are views severally comparable with Figs. IV and V, illustrating still another modification. And Figs. VIII and IX, rfipectively, are views in front and side elevation of a. continuous length of markers,

coiled for transportation or storage.

Referring to the drawing, the reference numeral 2 indicates my marker in general, as it may be applied to a guard-rail post 3.. The marker comprises a relatively narrow, elongate strip 2a of thinsheet metal, under-turned at its opposite edges 2b, as shown in Figs. II and III; advantageously, the metal of which the strip is formed is a relatively soft or ductile metal, in which open sockets or pockets 4 are pressed or embossed at spaced-apart points longitudinally of the strip, and in these pockets glass reflector- 50 buttons 5 of well-known sort are installed. The

reflector-buttons comprise, in the case of those herein shown, a basal portion 5a and head portion 51), and each pocket 4 is so proportioned as to receive the basal portion of a button, permit- 7 55. ting the head portion 5b thereof to project from of a guard-rail post equipped with a marker em- 1934, Serial No. 740,907

the face of the strip. As shown in Fig. II, a backing strip 6 of metal (or fibre board) is secured between and within the under-turned. edges 2b of the strip 2a, and the backing strip 6 serves to hold the row of reflector-buttons in 5 place. Figs. I andIII show how the marker may be secured to the post 3, by means of nails 1. The strip metal may be provided at intervals with punchedorifices 8 to receive the nails, but I contemplate that the metal of which the strips 2a, 6 are formed may be of such physical properties that the nails may be driven through at any desired point.

In Figs. IV and V, I show that the sockets 4 in the strip 2a may be of greater depth, so that the basal portions 5a of the reflector-buttons lie wholly within the sockets, whereby a relatively narrow strip 6a may be spot-welded or otherwise fastened at occasional points to the strip 2a, to secure the line of buttons in place. In this modification the edges 20 of the strip 2a maybe turned under into fiat engagement with the. inner face of the strip, thereby providing a structure of less total depth or thickness.

Alternately, the strip 2a may be plain edged, as shown in Figs. VI and VII. Advantageously, tangs 9 may be stamped from-the bodyof the strip, and bent over the bottoms of the buttons, to secure them. In the latter case, the buttons 5 and the strip of metal 2a are the only materials required in the construction of the marker, and characteristically my structure may be manufactured in continuous lengths of a thousand feet, more or less; and the structure is manifestly susceptible of uninterrupted manufacture in automatic machinery. The continuous strip embodying the reflector-buttons may be cut in lengths to meet the specifications of the purchaser.

Another important feature remains to be described. The physical nature of my assembled. marker is such that, in completed form, long continuous lengths of it may be wound into a coil l0, conveniently upon a spool or spindle l I, as shown in Figs. VIII and IX. Advantages in handling and transportation arise from this adaptability; the exposed faces of the friable glass buttons lie protected within the turns of the coil; and in the field, the worker may unwind any required length from the coil and sever it, to provide a marker 2 of desired length. Thus, every installation of the marker maybe individually adapted to requirementsa short marker here, a long marker there; indeed, the entrance to a culvert may be wholly outlined with the marker. 55

I claim as myinvention:

1. A marker comprising a thin, flexible, metallic strip having its side edges turned and underlying the inner face of the strip, a plurality of open sockets pressed at spaced apart points in the body of the strip, said sockets being of substantial depth and projecting from the outer effective face of said strip, reflector buttons seated in said sockets and presenting reflector faces therethrough, and means cooperating with the sockets for securing such buttons in assembly with said strip.

2. A marker comprising a thin, flexible, metallic strip of metal, a plurality of open sockets pressed at spaced-apart points in the body of said strip, said sockets being of substantial depth and pro- .jecting from the outer effective face of said strip,

reflector buttons seated in said sockets and presenting reflector faces therethrough, and means cooperating with the sockets for securing said buttons in assembly with the strip, the organization of said sockets, buttons, and their securing means with said strip providing an elongate, flexible assembly which may be coiled with the faces of said reflector buttons lying protected within the turns of the coil.

3. A marker comprising a thin, flexible, metallic strip having its side edges turned and underlying the inner face of the strip,-a plurality of open sockets pressed at spaced-apart points in the body of the strip, said sockets being of substantial depth and projecting from the outer effective face of said strip, reflector buttons seated in said sockets and presenting reflector faces therethrough, and means co-operating with the sockets for securing said buttons in assembly with said strip, the organization of said sockets, buttons, and their securing means with said strip providing an elongate, flexible assembly which may be coiled with the faces of said refiector buttons lying protected within the turns of the coil.

4. A marker comprising a strip of thin metal having its opposite side edges turned and underlying the inner face of the strip, a plurality of open sockets formed at spaced-apart points in the body of the strip, said sockets being of substantial depth and projecting from the outer effective face of the strip, reflector buttons mounted in said sockets and presenting reflector faces therethrough, and a second strip secured against lateral displacement between said under-turned edges of the first-mentioned strip and co-operating with said sockets for securing said buttons in such assembly.

ERNEST M. HOMMEL. 

